News:
March 3, 2011
Two more veteran Members of Parliament for the New Patriotic Party will not contest the upcoming 2012 parliamentary elections.
MP for Dome Kwabenya, Prof. Mike Ocquaye and MP for Afigya Sekeyere West, Kan Dapaah are the latest to join the tall list of veteran MPs who have announced their retirement from the House.
The two confirmed their decisions to Joy News’ Parliamentary correspondent Sammy Darko on Wednesday but insist their career in active politics is far from over.
“A time comes when you must give way to younger people,” Prof. Mike Ocquaye said, “but I am the type of person who will still be contributing to the work of Parliament,” he added.
Interestingly, his son, Mike Ocquaye Jnr. is one of the younger aspirants vying for the position.
He stated vehemently that the decision as to who succeeds him will purely be taken by the delegates in the constituency and if the constituency decides to elect his son, it will be entirely up to them.
He dismissed assertions about bad timing, insisting that ability and competence should be the overriding principle for an election.
On his part, Kan Dapaah also noted he has served Parliament for a long time and that it was time to move on for others to serve.
Even though he agrees there is always the need for experience in the House, he stated that one must not necessarily be within Parliament to bring his experience to bear on the floor.
He will however remain active in politics.
MP for Nsuta-Kwamang Beposo, Osei Kwame Prempeh, MP for New Juaben North, Hackman Owusu Agyemang and Nana Akomea MP for Okaikoi South have all announced they will not contest in the 2012 elections.